lafferty



2 Sheets--Sheetl.

Patented Sept. 1,1874.

LAFFERTY.

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H: Centrifugal Machines for Drying Sugar. No.l54,686.

//Ir///// ////Ir/////////f/ ldrlllllll 2$hee ts'--Sheet2. H. W. 81R.LAFFERTY. Eentrifugal Machinesfur Drying Sugar. N0.l54,686. y PatentedSept.1, 18-74.

(fi -W UNITED STATES PATENT O EIO HUGH w. LAEEE TY AND ROBERT AEEEETY,OF GLOUCESTER CITY, N. J;

IMPROVEMENT IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR DR VING SUGAR Specificationforming part of Letters Patent No. [54,386, datedSeptember 1, 1874applicat n filed March 3, 1873. i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HUGH W. LAFFERTY andROBERT LA'FFERTY, both of Gloucester City, in the county of Camden andState of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinCentrifugal Drainingand is designed to provide improved faclhties forthe rotation and stoppage of the drum, and the discharge of the driedmate rial therefrom; to which end our improvements consist of animproved device for imparting lateral motion to the driving-shaft, anarrangement of devices for discharging the dried material from the drumor basket, and an 'im proved construction of the automatic brake forarresting the motion of the drum, as hereinafter more fully setforth.

i, In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central sectionof a centrifugal draining-machine embodying our improvements; Fig. 2, aplan view of theopeniugs in the bottom of the drum or basket, also ofthe movable cover thereof; Fig. 3, a view in elevationof the machine,taken-at right angles to Fig.

1; Fig. 4, a view'on an enlarged scale of the lever for stopping andstarting the machine, and Fig. 5 a plan or top view on an enlarged scaleof the lower beari n g ofthe drum-spindle. The cylindrical outer casingA of-the machine is substantially similar to those now in use, and'isprovided with proper legs or supports for securing it to the floor. Acorrugated drum or basket, B, similar in form and construction tothoseheretofore used by us, is

attached to and supported by a vertical spin-.

dlc, D. This spindle passes centrally through a hub or cylindricalprojection, A ofthe outerv casing, which hub is provided with acylindrical gland or bushing,0, made to fit the spindle,

- and adjustable thereon by standing bolts and one or more longitudinalslots. By forcing the gland downward, the slots will permit the openingor hearing for the spindle to con tract, and any lost motion consequentupon long-continued use may be readily taken up. The bottom of the drumor'basket is provided with a cylindrical projection, B, which surroundsand covers the hub A, leaving sutli cient space for the free" movementof the drum, and is fitted andfastened-to the spindle, upon which it issupported'by the collar D. The lower end of the spindle D rests andrevolves upon a steel step, d, inserted in the bottom of a box, E,resting upon a lever, F, and incased in an outer box, G, in which it hasa free vertical movement. The box E forms the lowerv bearing of thespindle I), and is provided with suitable oil-channels e e e, to affordproper lubrication to the step. The lever F has itsfulcrum-pointuponacross-bar, ll, which also supports the casing G, and it will be seenthat by raising or lowering the end of the lever the box E will becorrespondingly raised or lowered in the casing G,'and with it thespindle D. A conical friction-wheel, I, is at taehed to the spindle D,and when the latter is raised it is brought in contact with acorresponding wheel, K, upon a shaft, L, which is mounted in boxes orbearings M N, sccurml to the outer casing A. The outer box M is made tofit the shaft, but the inner bostN is provided with a movable sleeve orbushing, 0. Steel friction-collars i i are placed between the inner endof the sleeve 0, and the hub of, the friction-wheelK, to prevent theexcessive wear of these surfaces when the machine is in operation.Between the sleeve '0 and. the outer box M is placed a spiral spring, Q,which surrounds without touching the shaft L, and has its respectiveends resting, the one in an annular groove, m, on the inner face of thebox M, and the other on a shoulder formed upon the adjacent face of thesleeve 0. The

spring Q bears against the movable sleeve '0,

and this, in turn, against the triction eollars i z 'i and the wheel K,and thus imparts a lateral motion to the shaft L, simultaneously withthe lowering of the spindle D, and the consequent release of the wheel Ifrom its contact with the wheel K. To limit the lateral motion of theshaft L, and to prevent the contact of any of theend surfaces when. thedrum is not being rotated, as well as to prevent the sleeve 0 fromturning in the box N, we provide a setsorew, n, the end of which entersa longitudinal slot, 0, in the sleeve 0. Another advantage of impartinglateral motion to the shaft L is found in the fact that the deviation ofthe spindle from its perpendicular line by rea- ,son of anyirregularities in the friction-wheels is thereby prevented. attached tothe outer end of the shaft L, and receives motion by a direct belt froma pulley A flanged pulley, P, is

of suitable size on a line of shafting,.or is otherwise properlyconnected withthe prime mover. An annular V-shaped projection, b, isformed upon the under side of the drum or basket B, and a ring, a, ofwood or other suitable material, having a corresponding V shaped channelor groove, is inserted in and secured to the bottom of the outer casingA, beneath the projection I), forming a powerful, safe, and almostinstantaneous brake when its surface and that of the projection b arebrought into contact by the lowering of the spindle and .drum or basket.Radial openings b b are formed in the bottom of the drum or basket,

and corresponding openings a a are formed in the bottom of the outercasing, which latter openings communicate with a chute, A, for conveyingthe dried or purged material from the drum or basket. This chute isunited to or formed in a piece with a casing, a, which encircles thespindle D. The top of the easing a? is enlarged and fitted into a recessin the bottom of the casing A, and, passing through the chute A has itslower end fitted into a cup, 1*, formed in the hub of the frictionwheelI, the casing being made long enough to be retained by the cup when thespindle l) is lowered. A channel, 1", extends through the hub of thefriction-wheel I, to allow the oil to pass freely frmn the cup 1* to thebottom step of the spindle. It will be seen that the casing aeffectually confines the oil used in lubricating the spindle to itsproper channels, and prevents its contact with the frictionwheels, orthe driedmaterial passing through the chute. A. light cover, B,encircles the sageof material through the openings therein, as may berequired. The end of the lever F is connected, by means of an adjustablerod,

F, to an eccentric or bell-crank lever, F secured to the outer casingwithin convenient reach ot' the operator.

The operation of our machine is as follows: By raising the lever F, thebox E, which rests upon the lever and the spindle D, which has its stepin the box E, will. be simultaneously raisedyand the conicalfriction-wheel I will be brought in contact with the wheel K, which willimpart its motion to the wheel I, and consequently to the spindle D anddrum or basket B. Simultaneously with the upward movement of the spindleD, the annular projection b will be raised from the ring a, and freerotation of the drum and spindle will thereby be permitted. Uponlowering the lever F, the friction-wheels I and K will be separated, and

the annular projection 11 will be brought in contact with the ring a,the contact of these two members inducing the action of a powerful,noiseless, and reliable brake, to stop the rotation of the drumorbasket, By moving the cover B the dried material is allowed to pass,through the openings b in the drum and the openings a in the outereasing, into the chute A, by which it is conveyed to a properreceptacle.

We claim as 0'11 invention-- 1. In a centrifugal draining-machine, the

device for imparting lateral motion to the shaft L, consisting in thecombination of the sleeve 0, the set-screw n, and slot 0, thefriction-collars i z i, and the spiral spring Q, substantially as setforth.

21-The combination, in a centrifugal draining-machine, of an annularV-shaped projection on the bottom of the drum or basket with acorresponding groove or channel upon the bottom of the outer casing,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a centrifugal drain lug-machine, supportedentirely from below, of an opening in the outer casingA with a chute, A,-ca,sing a", and cup 1 upon the frictionwhccl of the vertical spindle,substantially as set forth. 7

HUGH W. LAFFERTY, ROBERT LAFFERTY. Witnesses;

FRANCIS I). PASTORIUS, JNO. EvEnoING.

